Facial shaving instrument



p 1936- 1:). w. BRANSTETTER. 5,

FACIALSHAVING INSTRUMENT Filed "Dec; 13, 1934 Ava-N702 Patented Sept.29,

. UNITED STATES 2,055,511 mom. snsvma ms'mumzm- Donald w. Branstetter,Valley rm, Mo. Application December 13, 1934, Serial No. 151,301.

9 Claims, (on. 30-43) This invention relates generally to shavinginstruments, and more particularly to a facial shaving instrument forcutting or shaving human beards and the like.

My invention has'for its prime object the provision of a power-drivenshaving instrument adapted for cutting or shaving the hairs of a humanbeard and the like,

My invention has for another object the provision of ashaving'instrument, including a (rotary) cutting element which isprotected from actual contact with the skin of the face, while mostefficiently effecting a close cropping or cutting of the hairs of thebeard for providing a safe, l5 smooth shave to the user of. the device.Y

My invention has for still another object the provision of a shavinginstrument, characterized by having relatively two parts which areneatly and compactly arranged and most inexpensively o manufactured, soas to be available for popular usage-the several parts of the devicebeing capable of ready disassembly for cleaning pu p ses for maintainingthe hygienic condition thereof. And with the above and other objects inview,

5 my invention resides in the novel form, construction arrangement andcombination of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaims. Inthe accompanying drawinga Figure 1 is a side view partlyin'section of, a

' ao shaving instrument embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional viewtaken approximately alongthe line 2- -2, Figure 1;

, Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top-plan 35 view of-theinstrument;

Figure-4 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of rotary knifefor alternative use with the instrumentofFigurel;a nd I Figure 5 isa'fragmentary side view of the knife j 40' b! Figure-4.

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawing.which illustrates preferred embodiments of my invention, my improvedshaving instrument comprises an elon- 45 gated housing A of tubularform, which maybe constructed of metal, fiber or moulded material,

as may best present an attractive appearance at small expense. 5

The housing A is prpyid dwith 'a longi tudinal 50 slot l extendingsubstantially the length of the.

' housing. The inner wall of thehousing A is provided'with a pair oflongitudinal grobves 2,, disposed adjacent to the respective. marginalwalls of theslot 'l for a-purpose presently appearing.

At'one, or; as may be ms ,,m outer end, the

PATENT OFFICE" REISSUED APR 21- 1940 B being preferably nicely roundedand proportioned for most conveniently providing or forming a hand-gripor handle of the device. 1 10 C designates a face guard orelongatedplate which is' arcuate in cross-section and has its respectiveside.margins curled or turned as at i toward the convex or outer face Iof the guard C.

The guard C is composed of a relatively thin, re- 5 silient or flexiblepreferably metallic material, and is adapted on removal of the cap 3 tobe slid orfitted lengthwise into the housing A, with the convex face 1of the guard 0 presented outwardly,

and with the curled margins 6 engaged in the Y grooves 2 of the housingA, as best seen inFigure 2.

The guard C is perforated or provided with ries of longitudinally spacedelongated apertin'es or slots 8 disposed obliquely or diagonally, thatis to say, at an angle of preferably approximately forty-five degrees.with respect to the longitudinal axis of the housing A, the insideedgesof the" walls ofeach slot 8 being preferably truly square orotherwise "sharpened for providing a shear or so 7 cutting edge forco-operation I with the cutting elements of the device, as shortlyappearing. Revolvable in the housing A is a rotary knife D,

which comprises a shaft portion 9 longitudinally and preferably axiallydisposed in the housing A, j

andprovided at its outer end with a conical or pivot point III forengaging the pivot bearing l carried by the housing cap 3, theshaft 9 atits other orinner end having a squared or fluted shank ll removablyengageable with a socket I2. 40

mounted on the end of the motor-shaft ll of the motor 3,, as best seenin F ure 1.

. The shaft ,9 carries a series of helical cutting elements o'rvknifeblades ll, which preferably ex-' tend continuously for substantially thelength of the knife D, and are, also'preferably, formed in- -tegrallywith the shaft 9, the knife D havin'g the r general shape and appearanceof a worm-thread or screw-member, as best seen in Figure 1.

The blades it asdisposed obliquely or diagoso nally, that is to say, atan angle of preferably approximately forty-five degrees, with respect tothe longitudinal axis of the shaft I, the inclination of the blades ll,however, being opposite to, that is to say, at approximately ninetydegrees from--56- the inclination of the slots 8, as best seen in Figure3.

The respective blades M are each formed with a flat periphery l disposedin a cylindrical plane in which is also disposed the inside wall of theguard C, so that the peripheries l5 of the blades M are adapted forsliding engagement with the inside wall or face of the guard C, theengagement of the resilient curled margins 6 of 'the guard C with theslots 2 in the housing A serving'most efficiently in biasing the guard Cupon the flat peripheries '15 of the knife-blades M, as best understoodfrom Figure 2. I I

The peripheral marginaledges of the blades M are likewise formed trulysquare or otherwise sharpened for providing a shear or cutting edgeco-operable with the sharpened edges of the walls of the slots 8 in theguard C, and I might point out that, the slots 8 being disposedangularly to the axis of the housing A, and hence also obliquelydisposed with respect to the direction of rotation of the blades Hi, therespective sharpened or cutting edges of the blades l4 and walls of theslots 8 are disposed in a V formation most effective for providing ascissors effect for clipping or cutting any'hairs which may projectthrough the slots 8 for engagement by the blades M, as will beunderstood from Figure 3.

knife D, and it will be readily seen that the slid- As has been said,the plate is biased upon the flat peripheries l5 of the blades l4, thusrelieving the cutting edges of both the plate C and knife D from thebiasing pressure of the plate C on the ting edges of the fiatperipheries l5 and the walls of the slots in the plate C.

In the use and operation of the device of my invention, the motor B ismotivated in the conventional manner from a suitable source of current,not shown, which effects preferably a very rapid rotary actuation of theknife D within the housing A. a

The operator, holding the instrument in any desired manner, butpreferably by grasping the frame of the motor B, presses the guard Cfirmly against and moves the instrument over the face to be shaven.

As the instrument is moved over the face, th skin bulges slightly intothe slots 8 of the guard, and the hairs to be out are admitted orproject into and through the slots 8, whereby the several hairs becomecaught or engaged in V-like manner between the rapidly moving blades l4and the walls of the slots 8 and are thereby quickly cut or severed fromthe skin being shaved.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a modified form of rotary knife D, which iscomposed of a series of knife members or discs I6, mounted on the shaft9 between suitable spacer elements I1, I8, the outer end of the'shaft 9being threadedly engaged by a suitable securing member or nut IQ forclamping the discs l6 thereon.

Each disc I6 is provided with a series of, preferably four, radiallyprojecting cutting element 20 having the general shape of wings orvanes, each element 20 having a flat arcuate periphery which issharpened and shaped similarly to. that of a blade l4, and being twistedor obliquely disposed with'respect to the direction of rotation of theshaft 9, so as to occupy the same relative position,

with respect to and forfunctioning in the same 00- operative manner withthe cutting edges of the walls of the slots 8 of the guard C, as do theblades I4 of the knife D. 7

It will be seen that my invention provides a power-driven shavinginstrument highly adapted for cutting the hairs of a beard for shavingthe face of .the user thereof, and I might more particularly point outthat. the cutting elements of the instrument are fully covered andsafely protected from actual contact with the skin, by means of theguard C, yet the device permits the close cropping or cutting of thebeard for effecting a clean, smooth shave of the face.

And I might further reiterate that the cutting knife of the instrumentis fully enclosed in a housing, which most conveniently forms anextension of the frame of the motivating means, which Furthermore, thedevice, which comprises merely three essential shaving elements,namely:a

tubular housing, a removable rotary knife, and a removable perforatedguard, which projects the face from the knife, has an end of the housingreadily also removable so that the knife and the guard may be quicklyand with facility be disassembled from the housing for cleaning and likepurposes of hygiene. i

I might add that, preferably, the prime mover B is a simple inductionmotor for use with alternating current supply, although, of course, adirect current motor may be employed. However, since a direct-currentmotor for such purposes will usually be too bulky to be easily graspedby the hand, the housing A and its contained elements C, D, may mostconveniently in such case be mounted on the end of a flexible shaft,which is driven by the D. C. motor in the usual manner, the motor beingsupported from the wall or ceiling or a stand, as may best serve thepurpose.

It will be understood that changes and modifications, in. additiontothose shown and suggested, in the form, construction, arrangement andcombination or the several parts of my improved shavinginstrument may bemade and substituted for those herein shown and described withoutdeparting from the nature and principles of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a shaving instrument, the combination comprising a holder, arotary knife within the holder, and a slotted plate for protecting theface from theknife, the plate having curled mare gins engaging theholder for biasing the plate on the knife for providing a scissorsefl'ect between the plate and the knife.'

2. In a shaving instrument, the combination comprising a holder, arotary knife within the holder and having series of helical bladesprovided with flat peripheries and a plate for protecting the face fromthe knife, said plate being provided with series of slots disposeddiagonally with respect tothe direction of rotation of the knife andhaving curled margins engaging the.

peripheries forming cutting edges, and a plate 75 for protecting theface from the knife, said plate being provided with series 'of slotsdisposed diagonally with respect to the direction of rotation of theknife, the edges of the slots forming other cutting edges, co-operablewith the cutting edges of the blade wings for providing a scissorseffect therebetween.

4. In a shaving instrument, the combination comprising a holder, arotary knife within the holder having series of helical blades providedwith flat peripheries forming cutting edges, and a plate for protectingthe face from the knife, said plate being provided with series of slotsdis- I posed diagonally with respect to the direction of and havingsliding peripheral engagement with,

the guard.

6. In a shaving instrument, the combination comprising a tubular housinghaving a longitudinal slot, the inside wall of the housing having alongitudinal groove adjacent to each side wall of the said slot, aperforated face guard havingcurled side margins for resilient engagementwith the walls of said grooves, and a rotary cutting element disposedthe housing, and having peripheral engagement with the guard.

7. In a shaving instrument, the combination comprising a tubular housinghaving alongitudinal slot, the inside wall of the housing having a,longitudinal groove adjacent to each side wall of said slot, aperforated face guard slidable between the walls of said grooves, arotary cutting element disposed within the housing and having peripheralengagement with said guard, a removable closure for one end of thehousing for retaining the guard therein, means on the closureforvrotaril'y supporting one end of the knife, and a prime mover mounteddn the other end of the housing, the shaft of the prime mover havingremovable engagement with the other end of the knife.

8. In a shaving instrument, the combination comprising a tubular housinghaving a longitudinal slot, a perforated face guard resilientlysupported for slidable movement in said slot, and a rotary knifedisposed in the housing for sheartions in the guard. I

9. he shaving instrument, the combination comprising a tubular'housinghaving a longitudinal slot, a perforated face guard resilientlysupported in said slot, and a rotary knife, com

prising a shafit and series of knife-members mounted in spaced relationon the shaft, each of said members having series of radial wingsdisposed obliquely to the direction of rotation of the shaft, and beingprovided with fiat periph cries for shearing co-operation with the wallsof the perforations in the guard.

DONALD w. BRANS'I'E'I'I'ER.

- ing co-operation with the walls of the perfora-

